Sweden Bans 'These Important Messages'

The ruling, which could not be appealed, followed a five-year campaign by directors Claes Eriksson and Vilgot Sjoman (who died in 2006) who protested against advertisement breaks in their films The Shark That Knew Too Much and Alfred.

The court stated that the broadcaster TV4 had violated the director’s copyright by inserting the adverts, and that the breaks disrupt a viewer’s experience of the film    It also pointed out that the director’s right to decide how his film is presented is more important than the commercial interests of the companies financing the film.

The court ordered TV4 to pay Eriksson and Sjoman’s costs of 300,000 kroner (£25,000).

As a consequence of the dispute, TV4 made it standard practice to include a clause in co-production contracts to allow commercial breaks.   Insistence on no breaks would also severely restrict a film-makers chance of finding backing for his film. [ADD]

2008

Sweden: 2008